Almandin (Ger) (Mandero {Ger}) recorded his first Group 1 win since his 2016 G1 Melbourne Cup score on Saturday when prevailing as the second betting choice in Rosehill's G1 Tancred S. The 8-year-old gelding has been relatively lightly campaigned since that career-best effort, making eight starts in the past 16 months, but he had signaled good things were to come this prep with a solid pair of efforts prior to this. Following the favoured Gailo Chop (Fr) (Deportivo {GB}) across from the outside barrier, Almandin stalked that rival, a Group 1 winner already this prep, in the two path with the mare Single Gaze (Aus) (Not A Single Doubt {Aus}) on his heels. The mare Lasqueti Spirit (Aus) (Beneteau {Aus}), renowned for her extreme tactics, suddenly circled the leaders passing the 1400 and opened up a three length lead into the final bend. Lasqueti Spirit was soon swallowed up, however, by Gailo Chop on her outside and Almandin in the three path, and after a neck and neck tussle over about a furlong, Almandin hit the lead inside the 100 and won by 1 1/4 lengths. The former Japanese galloper Ambitious (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) battled on the inside for second while Who Shot Thebarman (NZ) (Yamanin Vital {NZ}) and Auvray (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) came flying from the back late.
McEvoy, who was back on Almandin for the first time since their Melbourne Cup score, told Racing NSW, “It's pleasing to get back on him. Obviously I would like to thank Liam Howley, Nick Williams and Lloyd Williams for the opportunity. They've got him in great shape today and it's good to see him bounce back at the top level. He's moving very well, he was nice and bright beforehand as Lloyd and Liam said. He was full of beans throughout the run, he travelled really well. He springed the lids and travelled a bit more forward than I thought we might be but he travelled really well and he was strong at the end of the 2400m today.”
Almandin missed the autumn after his 2016 Melbourne Cup score and after a listed win last spring, he could manage only 12th in last year's renewal of the 'Race that Stops a Nation' under Frankie Dettori. Second to wrap up that prep in the G2 Sandown Classic, the bay had finished second first-up in Caulfield's Listed Victoria Cup over 2000 metres on Feb. 24, and a close-up fourth over the same trip in the G1 Australian Cup on Mar. 10.
Pedigree Notes…
The second foal from the 2400 metre German listed winner Anatola (Ger) (Tiger Hill {Ire}), Almandin was preceded by Atempo (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}), a Group 2 winner in Germany over that same trip. The dam is overall the producer of four winners from six to race, and her last reported foal is a current 2-year-old colt by Tertullian. Anatola is herself a half-sister to the G1 Preis der Diana winner Amarette (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}).
Saturday, Rosehill, Australia
TANCRED S.-G1, A$1,498,200, ATC, 3-31, 3yo/up, Open Weight For Age, 2400mT, 2:30.11, Good.
1–ALMANDIN (GER), 59.0, g, 8, by Monsun (GER)
1st Dam: Anatola (GER) (SW-Ger), by Tiger Hill (IRE)
2nd Dam: Avocette (GER), by Kings Lake (USA)
3rd Dam: Akasma (GER), by Windwurf (GER)
O-N C Williams, Mrs & Mrs L J Williams, B N Singer, P Mehrten,
A & B Green, J & Mrs F Ingham, V Sammartino & M Gudinski;
B-Gestut Schlenderhan, GER; T-Liam Howley; J-K McEvoy;
A$898,200. Lifetime Record: Ch. Older Male-Ger, GSW-Ger,
20-7-6-1, A$5,301,091. *Full to Atempo (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}),
GSW-Ger. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Werk Nick Rating: A++.
2–Ambitious (JPN), 59.0, h , 6, Deep Impact (JPN)–Carnival
Song (JPN), by El Condor Pasa (USA). O-A Kheir, P Mehrten, J A
O'Neill, V Kheir, B D Nettlefold, S A Lewin, F Hachem & Carty
Racing (Mgr: B C Carty); B-Hideko Kondo; T-Anthony
Freedman; J-Craig Williams; A$285,000.
3–Who Shot Thebarman (NZ), 59.0, g, 9, Yamanin Vital (NZ)–
Ears Carol (NZ), by Carolingian. O-D M O'Leary, H T O'Leary,
M J O'Leary, S C O'Leary, Mrs J C Nugent-O'Leary, Mrs A M
O'Leary, Mrs F J O'Leary & Mrs L O'Leary; B-B J & Mrs L E
Anderton, South, NZ; T-C J Waller; J-T Angland; A$145,000.
Margins: 1.3 len, 1.4 len, 1.6 len. Odds: 2.00, 20.00, 60.00.
Also Ran: Gailo Chop (FR), Single Gaze, Auvray (FR), Harlem (GB), Ventura Storm (IRE), Lasqueti Spirit.
Click for the Racing Post result. Click for the free Arion.co.nz catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO.
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